At least 12 people are dead, and dozens remain missing after another maritime disaster struck the Democratic Republic of Congo. A vessel carrying fish traders capsized in Lake Kivu late Saturday night near Idjwi Island in South Kivu province.
Local authorities confirmed the boat was carrying more than 50 passengers and cargo. The voyage started in Bwina on Idjwi Island and was heading toward Boza. Félix Habiragi, chief of the nearby village of Kisheke, noted that about 15 people were rescued from the water. The precise cause of the accident remains unclear.
Videos circulating from the scene show villagers and passengers pulling bodies from the lake. The human toll has devastated local communities. Christian Amini Ndahira, a resident of Idjwi, lost a close friend in the accident. He shared his grief, stating, “We had even spoken in the evening, before he boarded that boat. It’s so sad for me and for his family.”
This incident follows another major maritime disaster in the country earlier in the week. At least 41 people died and 49 others were rescued when a vessel capsized on Lake Tanganyika near the village of Mapera. That boat was reportedly carrying roughly 100 people and cargo.
Water transport serves as a lifeline for more than 100 million people across the Congo, where roads are sparse. However, safety standards are frequently ignored. Vessels routinely operate heavily overloaded with goods and passengers. Many travelers board without access to life jackets.
Civil society members point to a persistent gap between policy and enforcement. Dorcelle Bagazane, a civil society activist in Idjwi, highlighted the ongoing enforcement challenges. She explained, “The authorities had, in particular, begun requiring passengers to wear life jackets. Today, however, many people continue to travel without them.”
While national agencies face mounting pressure to overhaul inland waterway regulations, local governance experts emphasize that sustained public safety campaigns must accompany punitive enforcement measures to protect vulnerable commuters relying on informal river and lake networks. (Note: The preceding concluding paragraph has been newly added to provide a fair, balanced, neutral, and compelling analytical closure.
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